Western States Petroleum Association v. City of Portland

The Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) filed an application to Chief Justice John Roberts to extend the deadline for filing a petition for writ of certiorari seeking review of an Oregon appellate court’s determination that the City of Portland’s ban on new and expanded fossil fuel terminals did not violate the dormant Commerce Clause. WSPA argued that an extension of the deadline was warranted because counsel retained to prepare the petition needed time to familiarize themselves with the case and because of the importance of the issues raised. The application asserted that the Oregon appellate court’s decision was at odds with Supreme Court precedent holding that states and localities may not burden interstate commerce in a way that favors in-state interests. WSPA also contended that the case had “significant practical import” because of Portland’s “key location near important in-land transportation routes.”